The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-01-27
4 6ERJOUS CHABGE

WE clip the following from the Neode-
sha Register. If the statements made in
the petition. and endorsed by the Register,
are true, not only the superintendent, but
the board Of regents, need removing. In
fact, q removal from office would be but
scant punishment for such inhumAnlty to
the unfortunates placed under their care
and protection;
The Register printed this week one
hundred copies Of the following petition,
which will be circulated in different parts
Of the state:
Legislature of the state of Kansas, at To-
peka Assembled:
We, the undersigned. citizens of
.......... and Vicinity, do earnestly
petition and lmplore your honorable body
to use your united Influence with Gov
emo: Martin to have s. T. Walker, su-
perintendent of the Deaf and Dumb asy-
lum Of the state of Kansas, removed from
the said asylum, tor the reason that he
has repeatedly treated those under his
charge in q most cruel, VIndictiYe and
brutal manner, altogether uncalled for
and uniustifablc by any possible breach
of order or violation of discipline, dis
graceful alike to the purpose and nature
Of his work, deep stain upon the good
name and dignity OF our state.
The cruel, implacHble nature OF ;. I.
Walker is shown IL, the following in
stances: On the 1Ith Gay OF November,
1885, he beat seven boys with a very heavy
sole leather strap, most in Numanlv. Three
days afterwards the highA st Officials In
Johnson county saw the back OF the seven
boys and can bear testimony 70 the revolt
ing sight they then presented: and even
two weeks after the beating d amerous
bruises were plainly visible up on the
boys bodies.
On the 22d day of December, 1886, &. T.
Walker Violently assaulted the daugh, er
OF j. A. Hatcher, struck her upon thu
head and in.the face, and then sent her
bleeding 20 be locked in q dark room.
Many bruises were visible upon her on
her return home, her face beng greatly
swollen. and for three days she suffered
from headache so severe that oplates
were administered to afford relief.
Each and all of these pupils after wards
became the special object of s. T. Walk
er's constant hate, and he lost no oppor-
tunity to cross. oppose and prosecute them
till he made life at the asylum so intoler-
able for some of them that they were
obliged to seek relief by returning to their
homes, and at this present time are de-
prived OF their educational opportunities
and rights.
DIligent and persistent effort has been
made 10 correct these crying and fragrant
abuses by application to the board OF re-
gents Of the asylum for the deaf and
dumb; but that body has totally ignored
each and every request pertaining to the
matter, and the parties aggrieved now
turn TO the state legislature for add
That this petition sho':ld be numer-
ously signed by all is plainly evil
dent to all who are as well acquainted
with the facts as the people OF Neo-
deshA. Many Of our citizens saw
both Nina and Eddie Hatcher when the
marks of violence were plainly visible.
At the time OF the first instance men
toned in the petition every effort was
made to secure the removal of the brutal
superintendent, but the board of regents
paid no attention Co the repeated claims
made, and as Q last resort our indignant
citizens will make the above appeal to
our legislature and governor.